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Last week, the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) released a proposal by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) that, if adopted, would create the nation’s first statewide on-bill repayment (OBR) program for energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades to be financed entirely by third parties.[continue reading]

By a 3-0 vote at the end of last week, the California Energy Commission adopted a minimum energy efficiency standard for battery chargers, making California the first state in the nation to do so.[continue reading]

In the U.S., green building can mean a lot of things — recycled greywater, roof gardens, solar panels and the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification all come to mind. But in Europe, many green builders focus laser-like on the amount of energy a building consumes, half of which typically comes from heating and cooling. Twenty years ago, German physicists erected a home that ...[continue reading]

Americans tend to beat themselves up over their imperfections. We eat too much, watch too much TV, and owe China too much money. Despite all of our sloth, we can feel good about one area: our progress saving energy.[continue reading]

Many homes with cathedral ceilings or flat roofs have little or no insulation. The IRC 2009 building code requires a ventilated space of at least one inch above the roof insulation. Building scientists sometimes ask how useful the ventilation is and how much ventilation could actually flow in the one-inch space.[continue reading]

Last week, Home Energy editor Jim Gunshinan joined architect Paula Baker-Laporte of EcoNest Co. and Bill Haney, president and co-founder of Blu Homes on KPFA 94.1’s green radio show, Terra Verde. They discussed a range of eco- and budget-friendly retrofitting tips, as well as the options for buying new, energy efficient homes.[continue reading]

John Brooks Smith, P.E. is the Global Platform Leader of Environmental Construction for Johns Manville—and he’s been in the insulation industry for 38 years. He’s also a member of the Board of Directors for the nonprofit corporation that publishes Home Energy magazine. Unfortunately, at the end of this month, we’ll be saying goodbye to John as a Director, as he will soon be retiring.[continue reading]

One morning I realized that I could cut down my showering time by at least one minute if I could combine my shampooing and conditioning into one step. Inspired, I went to a high-end grocery store that I will call, “Whole Paycheck” looking for what has been an illusive item for me—a combination shampoo and conditioner that really works; someone stacking items in the hair-care section told me that no such ...[continue reading]

Come January 1st, a new light bulb standard goes into effect that gradually phase out the 125-year-old inefficient incandescent bulbs. The old 100W bulb as we used to know it will go away in 2012 and be replaced by more efficient incandescent bulbs as well as other energy saving bulbs such as CFLs and LEDs. The old 75W incandescents will be phased out in 2013 and the 60 and 40W bulbs in 2014.
Back in 2007, these standards were ...[continue reading]

The Energy Center of Wisconsin has been putting on the Better Buildings: Better Business Conference in Wisconsin for nearly a decade. In 2012, they will be adding to their annual tradition in the neighboring state of Illinois.[continue reading]